How Full Is Your How Full Is Your Bucket? Bucket?

Courtney Clifford, LCSWCourtney Clifford, LCSWPositive Behavior Support CoachPositive Behavior Support Coach

With help from:With help from:Jill Donley, St. Vrain Sch. DistJill Donley, St. Vrain Sch. Dist

Nancy George-Nichols, Douglass CountyNancy George-Nichols, Douglass County

How many of you have How many of you have heard…heard…

I shouldn’t have to reward them for I shouldn’t have to reward them for something they should already be something they should already be doing! doing!

Rewarding students inhibits their ability Rewarding students inhibits their ability to develop “intrinsic motivation”to develop “intrinsic motivation”

How can I possibly have time to teach How can I possibly have time to teach and reward all the time? and reward all the time?

The Theory of the Bucket The Theory of the Bucket and the and the Dipper…Dipper…

Everybody has an Everybody has an invisible Bucket. invisible Bucket.

We are at our We are at our best when our best when our bucket is bucket is overflowing…overflowing…

The Theory of the Bucket The Theory of the Bucket and the and the Dipper…Dipper…

… … and at our and at our worst when worst when they are they are empty… empty…

The Theory of the Bucket The Theory of the Bucket and the and the Dipper…Dipper…

Everyone also has an Everyone also has an invisible dipper.invisible dipper.

In each interaction, In each interaction, we can use our we can use our dipper either to fill dipper either to fill or to dip from or to dip from others’ buckets. others’ buckets.

The Theory of the Bucket The Theory of the Bucket and the and the Dipper…Dipper…

When we choose to When we choose to fill another’s fill another’s bucket, we in turn bucket, we in turn fill our own… fill our own…

Negative Culture… Negative Culture…

It’s much easier to tell people when It’s much easier to tell people when they did something wrong…they did something wrong…

Negativity permeates our society at Negativity permeates our society at all levelsall levels Parents call teachers to complainParents call teachers to complain Teachers call parents when there is a Teachers call parents when there is a

problemproblem Parents focus on bad grades, not good Parents focus on bad grades, not good

grades (77% in the US). grades (77% in the US).

What does the Research What does the Research Say? Say?

Gallup surveyed more than 4 million Gallup surveyed more than 4 million employees, including over 10,000 employees, including over 10,000 business units and more than 30 business units and more than 30 industries, and found that individuals industries, and found that individuals who receive regular recognition and who receive regular recognition and praise experience … praise experience …

Increase in individual productivityIncrease in individual productivity Increase in engagement among their Increase in engagement among their

colleaguescolleagues Are more likely to stay with the Are more likely to stay with the

organizationorganization

More Research… More Research…

Negative work and school Negative work and school environments increase “actively environments increase “actively disengaged” employees and school disengaged” employees and school dropout rate… dropout rate…

More Research… More Research…

John Gottman’s study, cited in John Gottman’s study, cited in BlinkBlink Analyzed over 3,000 couplesAnalyzed over 3,000 couples Within one hour could predict divorce Within one hour could predict divorce

rate with 95% accuracy rate with 95% accuracy based upon based upon the ratio of positive to negative the ratio of positive to negative interactions between the couple… interactions between the couple…

Reducing the time observed to 15 Reducing the time observed to 15 minutes decreased this accuracy to minutes decreased this accuracy to 90% 90%

So- What is the ‘Magic So- What is the ‘Magic Ratio’?Ratio’?

Research shows that a ratio of:Research shows that a ratio of:

5 Positive Interactions to every5 Positive Interactions to every1 Negative or Neutral Interaction1 Negative or Neutral Interaction

Is the ratio that predicts successful Is the ratio that predicts successful relationships.relationships.

Research about Kids… Research about Kids…

Study done by Elizabeth Hurlock in Study done by Elizabeth Hurlock in 19251925

Fourth and sixth gradersFourth and sixth graders Math testsMath tests Progress over 5 days (after baseline)Progress over 5 days (after baseline) 3 groups plus a control group3 groups plus a control group

More research…More research…

Group 1: Praised in front of the Group 1: Praised in front of the classroom for their performanceclassroom for their performance

Group 2: Criticized in front of the Group 2: Criticized in front of the classroom for their poor performanceclassroom for their poor performance

Group 3: Ignored completely, but Group 3: Ignored completely, but present in the classroompresent in the classroom

Group 4: removed from classroom Group 4: removed from classroom (control)(control)

The Result? The Result?

Group that was praised: 71% Group that was praised: 71% increase in scoreincrease in score

Group that was criticized: 19% Group that was criticized: 19% increaseincrease

Group that was ignored: 5% increaseGroup that was ignored: 5% increase Control group: less than 5% increaseControl group: less than 5% increase

Bucket Filling…Bucket Filling…

Bucket filling is Bucket filling is most effective most effective when it is when it is individualized, individualized, specific and specific and deserved. deserved.

Kids Know… Kids Know…

Most kids know how an adult feels about Most kids know how an adult feels about themthem

Body LanguageBody Language Tone of voiceTone of voice WordsWords

Some kids misinterpret direct and implied Some kids misinterpret direct and implied messages whereas others overreact… messages whereas others overreact…

How do you fill someone’s How do you fill someone’s bucket? bucket?

Four Specific Four Specific Strategies for Strategies for Increasing Increasing Positive Positive EmotionsEmotions

Strategy #1: Prevent Strategy #1: Prevent BucketBucket

DippingDipping

Teach your students what bucket Teach your students what bucket dipping isdipping is

Call attention to bucket dipping and Call attention to bucket dipping and bucket fillingbucket filling

Teach your students how to Fill Teach your students how to Fill BucketsBuckets

Reward Bucket FillingReward Bucket Filling

Strategy #2: Make Best Strategy #2: Make Best FriendsFriends

Tell the most important people in Tell the most important people in your life how important they are and your life how important they are and whywhy

Become known for noticing when Become known for noticing when others do a good jobothers do a good job

Make the tough kid your best friend!Make the tough kid your best friend!

Strategy #3: Give Strategy #3: Give UnexpectedlyUnexpectedly

Give a small token of appreciationGive a small token of appreciation

Write a drop for someone else’s Write a drop for someone else’s bucket! bucket!

Be specific, make it individual, and Be specific, make it individual, and make sure it’s deserved! make sure it’s deserved!

Strategy #4: Reverse the Strategy #4: Reverse the Golden Golden RuleRule

Do unto others as Do unto others as they would have they would have you do unto themyou do unto them

Make your energy and effort at filling Make your energy and effort at filling someone’s bucket specific and someone’s bucket specific and meaningful to that person!meaningful to that person!

Tips for Educators:Tips for Educators:

Be specific about the behaviorBe specific about the behavior Praise effort and behavior, not ability Praise effort and behavior, not ability

or attribute or attribute Avoid praise that hints at past Avoid praise that hints at past

negative behavior or weaknessesnegative behavior or weaknesses Praise should be a congratulations, Praise should be a congratulations,

not a wish that the student should do not a wish that the student should do something else.something else.

Tips for Educators, Tips for Educators, Continued…Continued…

Structured reinforcers (Pride Tickets) Structured reinforcers (Pride Tickets) structure adults responses… force us structure adults responses… force us to give postivesto give postives

When appreciation and positive When appreciation and positive interactions at a 5:1 level are habits, interactions at a 5:1 level are habits, the reinforcer is no longer necessary.the reinforcer is no longer necessary.

Changing student behavior is first Changing student behavior is first and foremost about changing adult and foremost about changing adult behavior. behavior.

How Full Is Your How Full Is Your Bucket? Bucket?

The Research… Positivity The Research… Positivity works!!!works!!!

The #1 reason people leave their The #1 reason people leave their job is that they don’t feel job is that they don’t feel __________________________

Appreciated!Appreciated!

Positivity Works!Positivity Works!

Bad bosses can increase the risk Bad bosses can increase the risk of a stroke by ___%of a stroke by ___%

33%!!!33%!!!

Positivity Works!!Positivity Works!!

The Cost of disengagement: The Cost of disengagement: $200-300 ______ per year$200-300 ______ per year

Billion!!!!Billion!!!!

Positivity Works!Positivity Works!

__% of Americans reported __% of Americans reported receiving no recognition last yearreceiving no recognition last year

65%!!!!65%!!!!

Positivity Works!Positivity Works!

__ out of __ people say they are __ out of __ people say they are more productive when they are more productive when they are around positive peoplearound positive people

9 out of 109 out of 10

Positivity Works!!Positivity Works!!

Increasing positive emotions can Increasing positive emotions can lengthen life spans by ___ yearslengthen life spans by ___ years

10 years! 10 years!

To Begin Filling Someone’s To Begin Filling Someone’s Bucket…Bucket…

Complete the drop for another staff Complete the drop for another staff member, a family member, or a member, a family member, or a student.student.

Choose two activities you will try when Choose two activities you will try when you get back to your classroom to fill you get back to your classroom to fill other people’s buckets.other people’s buckets.

Share with your neighbor your plans… Share with your neighbor your plans…

Resources…Resources…

Gladwell, Malcolm; Gladwell, Malcolm; BlinkBlink; Time Warner ; Time Warner Book Group, NY NY; 2005Book Group, NY NY; 2005

T. Rath and D. Clifton; T. Rath and D. Clifton; How Full is Your How Full is Your Bucket- Educator’s Edition;Bucket- Educator’s Edition; Gallup Gallup Press, New York; 2005Press, New York; 2005